The present invention relates to a method and a signalling protocol for decentralized ac management in a computer network.
Small networks, comprising multiple endpoint devices, such as desktop computers, notebook computers and handheld computers, usually share a link to the external network, such as the Internet or Wide Area Network (WAN), via a common access device, such as a DSL modem and/or router.
A common problem is that one endpoint can often occupy more than its fair share of the available bandwidth. This is particularly true when one or more endpoint users are downloading large files, while another endpoint user is attempting to use delay-sensitive networked applications, such as voice over IP (VoIP), video streaming or online games.
It is known to solve these problems by deploying a so-called traffic management appliance in series with the access device. These appliances are hardware devices that optimize network performance, through one or more of the following functions: traffic shaping, also known as bandwidth management or quality of service (QoS), compression, caching and protocol optimization. Alternatively, traffic management functions may be integrated into an existing networking device, such as a router, obviating the need for a separate device. However, traffic management hardware devices are expensive. Routers that implement traffic management functions are also expensive.
Network access devices found in small networks, however, are relatively inexpensive products lacking quality of service (QoS) capabilities. The cost of installing the additional hardware or more sophisticated network access devices that can implement traffic management is often prohibitive and also introduces another point of failure into the network.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a signalling protocol for traffic management that overcomes or at least substantially amellorates the problems associated with the prior art
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, embodiments of the present invention are disclosed.